If someone has an increased ability to hear higher frequencies versus lower frequencies, they hear the word Yanny.

Those of us with more normal hearing or hearing loss in the higher frequencies are more likely to hear Laurel.

Audio Equipment Matters!

Additionally, the type of speakers that we are hearing the recording on matter as well. Really nice headphones or speakers will likely bring out the higher frequencies more. So in that situation Yanny is likely to be heard.

Typically most phone speakers and average headphones are going to emphasize the lower frequencies. Therefore, they are more likely to emphasize the word Laurel.

No Right or Wrong Answers

So you see – there is no right or wrong answer, and there is no one combination that makes someone more likely to hear one word versus the other. It is a meld of many factors, once again proving that hearing is an amazing and almost miraculous sense that we continue to learn about more and more every day.